JANS – Dr. Linda Godley, a professor in the Cora S. Balmat School of Nursing, has been elected as a commissioner of the Board of Commissioners for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
Godley will serve a three-year term on a 17-member board responsible for accreditation at “all levels of nursing education and transition-to-practice programs.”
“We are elated about Dr. Godley’s election to the ACEN Board of Commissioners, a board that ensures that educational institutions meet or exceed standards for educational quality,” said Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, dean of the School of Nursing. “Dr. Godley’s election to the ACEN Board demonstrates that an Alcorn faculty member is sitting at the table where decisions are generated, and educational standards are codified for nursing schools around the world. More importantly, Dr. Godley’s election to this prestigious organization demonstrates her energy, dedication, and sacrifice to educate the next cadre of nurses with excellence and high-quality programs.”
The New York-based organization is recognized as an accrediting body by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The ACEN is one of the largest specialized accrediting agencies, accrediting nursing programs throughout the United States, its territories, and internationally.
“I am honored to have been nominated for the position of ACEN board commissioner, but I am more honored to have been selected,” said Godley. “I have served as a peer evaluator at the state level since the late 90s and at the national level since 2008. I was appointed to the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (renamed ACEN) Appeals Panel in 2012 and the ACEN Evaluation Review Panel in 2019. While the work these positions require is massive, the knowledge I gained allows me to be more effective in my roles at Alcorn and beyond.”
The ACEN plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and integrity of nursing education programs. Godley believes that one of the most significant challenges and opportunities in nursing education today is professional development for faculty members. She sees her new role as an opportunity to improve the quality of nursing programs.
